Richard l



(No Model.)

B. L. FROST, STEAM AOTUATED VALVE.

Patented July 1 lnuantor- Flttg- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD L. FROST, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM-ACTUATED VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,045, dated J'uly'1, 1890.

Application filed April 18, 1890- Serial No. 348,497. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD L. FROST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Battle Creek, county of Calhoun, State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Steam- Actuated Valve, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to that class of steamengines in which thepressure of steam in the cylinder is so regulated as to obtain isochronal movement of the steam-piston under varying resistances; and it moreespecially relates to an invention disclosed in an application of minefiled August 28, 1889, Serial No. 332,222, in which application theobject of the invention as set forth consists in a peculiar constructionof the steam-engine valve and its relation to the ports in thesteam-chest and cylinder, whereby when the resistance of the work beingdone increases the pressure of steam in the cylinder said pressure ofsteam would not so act upon the valve in the steamchest as to entirelyclose the live-steam port at either end of the stroke of said valve whenthe engine was in operation.

The invention further relates to an inven tion disclosed in anapplication of mine filed December 2, 1889, Serial No. 332,346, in whicha secondary steam chest or receiver and a piston having certain changesin construction were employed.

The main object in the present invention consists in providing thevalve-chest at each end with annular ports in its internal periphcry,which, in conjunction with the valve and other features of the engine,arrest the valve at given points in its movement and supply live steamback of the piston-head in the cylinder to cushion and initially startthe piston on its reverse movement to accomplish the advantages whichwill appear in the following description.

The construction herein disclosed is mor especially intended for use inconnection with steam-pumps, the same as my prior invention referred to,but of course may be used for other purposes. I

In the drawings formingapart of this specification, Figure 1 is asectional elevation on line 3 3 in Fig. 2,1ooking from a point at theright of said figure; and Fig. 2 is a section on line 4 4 in Fig. 1,looking fIODJ ZL point at the left.

' Referring to the lettered and numeral parts of the drawings, E is thecylinder, and F is the piston-head, having an annular depression Z inthe periphery of said head, as shown in Fig. 1.

At A is shown the valve-chest, having therein what is usually termed afloat-valve B, said valve having enlarged heads 0 c at each end, whichplay back and forth in the internal enlargements N in the ends of thevalvechest.

Referring to Fig l, the valve B is shown having an annular depression 44. at each end and centrally at X, and at 3 3 between said center andend depressions. Each end of the valve B has a live-steam port 6 leadingfrom the annular depressions 4i 4 internally and longitudinally throughsaid valve and out into the annular depressions 3 3. These-severaldepressions 4 4, 3 3, and X maybe termed annular steam-ports. This valveB is like the one shown in my first prior application herein referredto. The ports 6 through the valve are as clearly shown at left hand inFig. 1. 7

At R is the ordinary steam-Suppl y pipe, and from said pipe thelive-steam ports 0 z Oi lead into the interior of the valve-chest andinto the steam-passage 71 M, which leads into the receiver T, Fig. 1.

At D D are ports leading from the valvechest into each end of thecylinder E, and I is the exhaust-port. Ports d 1; lead from either endof the steam-chest into the cylinder E.

The piston-rod P has hearings in the stuff ing-boxes 6 6 in the ends ofthe cylinder E.

The secondary steam chest or receiver is shown at T and joins theopposite end of the cylinder E to that shown in my second priorapplication above referred to. During the stroke of the piston the freeend of the piston-rod P, which terminates in the receiver T, plays backand forth insaid receiver, and of course the other end of the rod Pwould be connected with the pump or other machinery to be driven. Thepiston-rod P has a steamport 3 passinglongitudinally through it from thesteam-receiver T and into the piston-head F, and leading from thence outinto the annular depression Z in the periphery of said head.

In the operation of the engine, referring to Fig. 1, live steam hasfilled the steam-passages D D and h, and steam from the righthandpassage D has passed through the righthand annular port 4 of the valveB, and from thence through the steam-passage a, through said valve, andthence through the right-hand induction-port D and into the right-handend of the cylindcrE. Aportion of the live steam has passed through thebranch steam-passage (1 into the right-hand end of the steam-chest A.Since the outer surface of the ends 0 of the valve exceed the innersurface of said heads, the steam which enters'the end of the valve-chest through passage d counterbalances the pressure of the live steamagainst the inner surface of said head, and thus prevents abnormaldisplacement of said valve. The steam which entered the cylinder throughthe right-hand passage D forced the piston over to left-hand end of thecylinder, during which action the exhaust steam passed through theleft-hand steam-port D, through the central annularport 0c, and onthrough the exhaust-port I. The live steam which passes through thesteam-passage it into the steamreceiver T fills said receiver, and forwhich reason, when the piston has reached the end of the cylinder justdescribed, live steam passes through port 3 into the annular depressionz in the periphery of the piston-head, and from thence through thesteam-passage 11 into the left-hand end of the valve-chest A for thepurpose of throwing the valve B to the right, which of course wouldreverse the position of said valve and cause the live steam to passthrough the left-hand steam-passage D and left-hand annular port 4 andpassage 6, through the left-hand end of the valve B, annular port 3, andon through the left-hand steam-portD into the left-hand end of thecylinder E, and thus throw the piston to' the right-hand end of saidcylinder. In the present construction, as illustrated in Fig. 1, thevalve has not yet moved sufiicientlyfarto the rightto open the left-handannular port 4 of the valve; but when it has moved sufficiently far thenthe piston will be thrown to the right, as above stated, and as will beexplained below. The valve B is in its arrested position, Fig. 1, andits left-hand head 0 registers with the annular port t in the enlargedend N of the valve-chest, because the live steam which passed from thesteam-receiver T through port 8 of the piston-rod P, and through portointo the end of the valvechest and pushed the valve to its presentposition, now passes by the piston-head (for the reason, of course, thatthe annular port t is larger than said head) and on through port e ofthe valve out into the chambered portion 7 of the valve-chest throughport D, and into the left-handend of the cylinder, which supply of steamwill initially start the piston to the right; but during this action thevalve B continues to move to the right, but with less velocity, untilthe left-hand annular port- 4 and the left-hand end of the valve-port eregister with the live steam port 11. Live steam will now pass aroundthe annular port 4 and 011 through port 6 into the left-hand end of thecylinder and continue the movement of the piston to the right. This mainfeature of the present invention cushions the valve and piston with livesteam, obviates pounding of the same, and secures a steady and uniformmovement of said parts. When the pistonhead is in the right-hand end ofthe cylinder, the annular depression Z of said head will register withthe right-hand steam-passage cl, which communicates with the cylinderand the right-hand end of the valve-chest, and of course a reverseaction of the valve will now take place, and also of the piston at theproper time in like manner, as described for the opposite movements ofsaid parts.

The chambered portions 7 7 in the Valve- .chest were shown in my secondapplication, hereinbefore referred to, in order to allow the steam whichescaped by the valve-heads to pass on through the exhaust, and thus notinterfere with the proper throw of the valve.

Returning to the steam-receiver T, with this receiver thus constructedwith the c1011- gated hollow projection, and thus associated with thecylinder and valve-chest at the end here shown, greater compactness andsimplicity are secured, and the single port .9 through the piston-rod ismuch more desirable than my former plan, in which the end of thepiston-rod extended through the receiver and into the pump.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination of the valve having the annular end depressions, theannular central depression,the annular depressions each side of thecentral depression, and the steam-ports leading from the end depressionslongitudinally through the valve and into the annular depressions nextto the central depression, a suitable piston and cylinder, thevalve-chest having the chambered portions communicating with the centraldepression, with the annular depressions each side thereof, and with theexhaust-port, said valve-chest being also provided with the annularports in the end enlargements, which ports permit the live steam to passthe valve-head and arrest or retard the movement of said valve, and saidcylinder and valve-chest having suitable ports coacting with said valveand piston, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the valve-chest, the end chambers, asteam-actuated valve in said valve-chest, said chest and valve havingsuitable coacting ports, and said chest being provided with the annularports in the end enlargements, which ports permit the live steam to passthe valve-heads and arrest or retard the movement of the valve, acylinder, livesteam passages leading from each end of the steam-chestinto said cylinder, induction and exhaust ports, the steam-receiver, alive-steam port leading into said receiver, a piston-rod passing intosaid receiver and having a piston-head with the annular depression inthe periphery thereof, said piston-rod and head having the port leadingtherethrough from the steam-receiver into the annular depression of saidhead, and said steam-port having an opening into the receiver,substantially as set forth.

3. In an engine employing asteam-actuated valve in the valve-chest, thecombination of asteam-receiver, a piston-rod extending into saidreceiver, the piston-head of said rod hav ing the periphery-depression,a live-steam passage leading through said rod from the receiver and outthrough the head into said depression, which depression registers withthe live-steam ports leading to the ends of the valve, and a valve-chestprovided with the annular ports in the end enlargements, which portspermit the live steam to pass the valveheads and arrest or retard themovement of the valve, substantially as set forth.

4. Inan engine, the combination of a steamactuated valve, a valve-chesthaving the annular ports in the end enlargements, which ports permit thelive steam to pass the valvehead and arrest orretard the movement of thevalve, a cylinder and piston, the chest, cylinder, piston, and valvebeing provided with suitable coacting ports, substantially as set forth.

5. In a steamengine, a steamactuated valve, and a valvechest having theannular ports in the end enlargements, said valve and chest havingsuitable ports communicating with the cylinder and piston, whereby thelive steam which trips the valve is permitted to pass the valve-heads atthe desired point and arrest or retard the movement of said valve,substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name inpresence of two witnesses.

RICHARD L. FROST. \Vitnesses:

L. N. BURKE,

H. J. FREEMAN.

